Claire Martin, Barb Jungr, Mari Wilson - Girl Talk

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:25
Size: 161,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:17) 1. Girls Talk
(2:51) 2. Doctor's Orders
(2:32) 3. Walkin' Miracle
(3:56) 4. Different for Girls
(1:47) 5. Substitute
(4:04) 6. Wivers and Lovers
(2:35) 7. Keep Young and Beautiful
(3:14) 8. My Guy
(3:51) 9. Terry
(3:30) 10. You Keep Me Hangin' On
(2:39) 11. Girl Talk
(1:27) 12. Wishin' and Hopin'
(3:02) 13. Ladies Who Lunch
(2:09) 14. I Enjoy Being a Girl
(2:48) 15. A Woman's Touch
(3:47) 16. Single Girl
(4:04) 17. D.i.v.o.r.c.e.
(1:47) 18. Let's Jump the Broomstick
(3:24) 19. Chapel of Love
(4:32) 20. It Should've Been Me
(2:32) 21. When Do the Bells Ring for Me
(2:35) 22. Needle in a Haystack
(2:52) 23. I'm Gonna Make You Mine

Award winning British Jazz Singer of the Year Claire Martin, International Cabaret award winner Barb Jungr and Neasden Queen of Soul Mari Wilson, solo and in harmony, bring the songs you love to hate to life again in this glamorous celebration of all things girlie.

"Take three of the UK's finest female vocalists, add a bunch of songs at the oh-so-cheesy end of the spectrum and sprinkle liberally with postmodern irony and that, in a nutshell, is Girl Talk. As camp as Christmas and huge fun, this brassy, sassy and supremely arch review takes a deliciously tongue-in-cheek look at love, marriage and make-up in the 21st century via the hallowed classics of yesteryear. Heard solo and in glorious three-part harmony, Mari Wilson, Barb Jungr and Claire Martin are all fabulous singers in their own right, and by some strange work of alchemy their respective worlds of pop, cabaret and jazz combine seamlessly in this common cause. Of course one can't ignore the fact that some of these songs are in fact completely brilliant. It's great to hear Bacharach and David's "Wives and Lovers", Sondheim's "Ladies Who Lunch" and the evergreen Motown number "It Should've Been Me". Also included are such epics of stereotyping as "A Woman's Touch" ("A touch of paint, one magic nail, can turn a kitchen chair into a Chippendale"), complete with its comedic music hall style arrangement. In the role of MD, accompanist and producer Adrian York performs heroically." (Jazzwise, Peter Quinn, 2006)

"These three British divas have combined to deliver a series of tunes all coming from a woman's perspective. You can't deny the strong harmonies they put together and with 23 tunes in all, there is sure to be something appealing for all. It is good entertainment." (O's Place Jazz Newsletter, 2006) https://jazzsociety.se/items/girl-talk-31802

Girl Talk

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Mari Wilson - Pop Deluxe

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:13
Size: 125,0 MB
Art: Front

(0:56)  1. Island of Dreams (Intro)
(3:53)  2. Always Something There to Remind Me
(3:33)  3. I Couldn't Live Without Your Love
(4:48)  4. The Look of Love
(4:33)  5. Don't Sleep in the Subway
(4:41)  6. You're My World
(7:06)  7. 24 Hours from Tulsa
(4:32)  8. In Private
(3:45)  9. White Horses
(3:39) 10. Anyone Who Had a Heart
(4:37) 11. I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten
(4:54) 12. I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself
(3:10) 13. Island of Dreams

2016 album from the British vocalist. Regarded by many as one of the UK's best pop singers and interpreters of songs, Mari Wilson (aka The Neasden Queen Of Soul) is releasing an album in which she brings her own unique take to some classic pop songs from British icons including Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, Sandie Shaw and Cilla Black. The inspiration for Pop Deluxe came from Mari's memories of growing up, listening over and over to these songs on the Dansette in her bedroom whilst daydreaming of one day being on Top Of The Pops herself. Each of the chosen songs means something truly personal to Mari. Her decision to sing the 'White Horses' TV theme is firmly rooted in her childhood: "This song is almost in my DNA. When I would come home from school, my dad and I would always do the Evening News crossword and watch The White Horses TV Show - the theme tune would send shivers down my spine and still does. " 

~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Deluxe-Mari-Wilson/dp/B01C68SMY4

Pop Deluxe

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Mari Wilson - The Rhythm Romance

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:09
Size: 142.3 MB
Styles: Jazz-pop vocals
Year: 1991/2001/2012
Art: Front

[0:43] 1. Cielo
[5:08] 2. The Rhythm
[3:41] 3. I'm Comin' Home
[2:15] 4. No Moon At All
[6:13] 5. For Your Freedom
[4:39] 6. La La Peace Song
[3:08] 7. Cry Me A River
[4:15] 8. This Town
[4:29] 9. Yeh Yeh
[4:33] 10. And I Love Him
[1:49] 11. Let There Be Love
[3:44] 12. Someone To Watch Over Me
[4:18] 13. Loverman
[4:14] 14. My Funny Valentine
[5:03] 15. Out Of The Blue
[3:51] 16. Got To Be You

Latin-flavored Collection of Original Material and Sultry Standards Originally Released in 1991. Includes 2 Bonus Tracks Originally Available in Japan Only.

The Rhythm Romance

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Mari Wilson - Cover Stories

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:11
Size: 117.2 MB
Styles: Contemporary vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:02] 1. Don't Get Me Wrong
[4:18] 2. Disney Girls
[4:08] 3. Be My Baby
[4:24] 4. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
[6:21] 5. I Only Want To Be With You
[4:01] 6. First Of May
[4:39] 7. Own Side
[4:30] 8. Right About Now
[4:14] 9. Dear Someone
[3:58] 10. They Don't Know
[5:31] 11. Everybody Needs A Holiday

Back in the 1980s, when she was renowned for her retro beehive hairstyle and her spectacular live shows, Mari Wilson had a string of chart-making hits that included "Just What I Always Wanted" and "Cry Me a River." These days, the only remaining vestige of that hairstyle is in the name of her record label. More recently, Wilson has appeared in musical theater (including playing Dusty Springfield in Dusty: The Musical), been a BBC radio presenter and, significantly, started the trio Girl Talk with Barb Jungr.

Compared to her albums Dolled Up (Beehive, 2005) and Emotional Glamour (Beehive, 2008), Cover Stories marks a new direction for Wilson, as it consists solely of cover versions without any of her own compositions. The album features eleven of Wilson's favorite songs, lending it a certain similarity to Jungr's album The Men I Love: The New American Songbook (Naim, 2010). However, unlike Jungr's choices, four of Wilson's selections are by female songwriters and six are by non-Americans.

Another similarity between Wilson and Jungr is that, rather than recording a straightforward cover version, they each often radically reinvent a song, sometimes making it unrecognizable in the process. One of the best examples of Wilson doing this is her stunning version of "Be My Baby," originally recorded by The Ronettes. Stripping away Phil Spector's wall-of-sound production, she is accompanied by atmospheric acoustic guitar alone, played by John Parricelli. She savors every word of the verses as well as the famous chorus, milking them all for emotion. Wilson achieves similarly miraculous transformations of "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" (originally by Gerry and the Pacemakers) and Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want to be with You"—the latter her first ever Springfield cover.

If those examples suggest that Wilson is stuck in some sixties time warp, nothing could be further from the truth. Her choice of songs demonstrates that she has an ear for a great song and its possible reinterpretation. While including some songs by well-known artists, The Beach Boys' "Disney Girls" and The Bee Gees' "First Of May" for example, the eclectic array of tunes also features the lesser-known Caitlin Rose, Gillian Welch, Ron Sexsmith and even Big Audio Dynamite. Most of all, Cover Stories lives up to its title. Every track is a cover version, but each is also a story in its own right. And Wilson is a story teller par excellence, extracting meaning and emotion from each one and communicating them impeccably to her audience, her voice as formidable an instrument as ever. ~John Eyles

Mari Wilson: vocals; Simon Hale: piano, keyboards; John Parricelli: guitar; Geoff Gasgoyne: electric bass, acoustic bass; Keith Fairbairn: percussion; Ben Hale: flugelhorn, trumpet.

Cover Stories

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Mari Wilson - The Rhythm Romance

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:09
Size: 142,9 MB
Art: Front

(0:43)  1. Cielo
(4:33)  2. And I Love Him
(1:49)  3. Let There Be Love
(3:44)  4. Someone to Watch Over Me
(4:18)  5. Loverman
(4:14)  6. My Funny Valentine
(5:03)  7. Out of the Blue
(3:51)  8. Got to Be You
(5:08)  9. The Rhythm
(3:41) 10. I'm Comin' Home
(2:15) 11. No Moon At All
(6:13) 12. For Your Freedom
(4:39) 13. La La Peace Song
(3:08) 14. Cry Me a River
(4:15) 15. This Town
(4:29) 16. Yeh Yeh

Born Mari MacMillan Ramsey Wilson, 29 September 1957, London, England. In the mid-80s, Mari Wilson single-handedly led a revival of the world of late 50s/early 60s English kitsch. Sporting a beehive hairdo, wearing a pencil skirt and fake mink stole, her publicity photos depicted a world of long-lost suburban curtain and furniture styles, Tupperware, garish colours (often pink) and graphic designs from the period. The songs were treated in the same way, only affectionately and with genuine feeling. The whole image was the idea of Tot Taylor who, composing under the name of Teddy Johns and gifted with the ability to write pastiche songs from almost any era of popular music, also ran the Compact Organisation label. The label’s sense of hype excelled itself as they immediately released a box set of Compact Organisation artists, all of which, with the exception of Wilson, failed to attract the public’s attention. (Although ‘model agent’ Virna Lindt was a music press favourite.)

Wilson was quickly adopted by press, television and radio as a curiosity, all aiding her early 1982 singles ‘Beat The Beat’ and ‘Baby It’s True’ to have a minor effect on the chart. ‘Just What I Always Wanted’ a Top 10 hit, fully encapsulated the Wilson style. However, it was the following year’s cover of the Julie London torch-song number, ‘Cry Me A River’ which, despite only reaching number 27, most people have come to associate with the singer. The song also generated a revival of interest in London’s recordings, resulting in many long-lost (and forgotten) albums being re-released. After touring the world with her backing vocal group, the Wilsations - which included future solo artist Julia Fordham - the return home saw a slowing-down in activity. Although for the most part Wilson was out of the limelight, she provided the vocals to the soundtrack to the Ruth Ellis biopic Dance With A Stranger.

In 1985, Wilson started playing small clubs with her jazz quartet performing standards, as well as writing her own material which led to her appearance with Stan Getz at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Although still affectionately remembered for her beehive, she has been able to put that period behind her and is now taken more seriously as a jazz/pop singer, and is able to regularly fill Ronnie Scott’s club for a season. She also moved into theatre, appearing in the fringe musical Sweet Charity and the Dusty Springfield biopic Dusty, The Musical. Wilson also appears with fellow singers Claire Martin and Barb Jungr (Jungr And Parker) in the sparkling show Girl Talk. 

Bio ~ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mari-wilson-mn0000550583/biography

The Rhythm Romance

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Mari Wilson - Emotional Glamour

Size: 89,4 MB
Time: 38:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Pop
Art: Front

01. Have You Got What It Takes (3:42)
02. The It Girl (3:05)
03. The Loneliest Road (4:09)
04. Killing Time (4:03)
05. Hits And Misses (3:18)
06. Only Human (3:36)
07. Movin' In (3:31)
08. Me And My Baby (3:46)
09. Right For You (3:13)
10. Forever Young (3:13)
11. Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps (2:32)

The huge “Just What I’ve always wanted” and “Cry me a river” launched Mari into the limelight and years of touring. As well as pop Mari has performed on stage in many musicals, including the role of Dusty Springfield. She has also played with Stand Getz, BB King and Ray Charles, and has now become very well known on the jazz/cabaret circuit. The Neasden Queen of Soul, Miss Beehive, 80's Icon, Mari Wilson is still wowing audiences across the UK. She has released three critically acclaimed albums since 2006:- Dolled Up, The Platinum Collection (Mari’s Best Of) and her latest, Emotional Glamour, promoting all three with major UK tours with her band. "An enjoyable evening complete with the right amounts of irony, kitsch, coolness and witty repartee sprinkled over a killer songbook." Craig Astley, rememberthe80's.com "The evening encompassed a varied selection of songs from the albums Dolled Up, The Platinum Collection and her stunning new album, Emotional Glamour, all of which were beautifully arranged and magnificently delivered." Steve Burbidge uktheatre.net The huge “Just What I’ve always wanted” and “Cry me a river” launched Mari into the limelight and years of touring. As well as pop Mari has performed on stage in many musicals, including the role of Dusty Springfield. She has also played with Stand Getz, BB King and Ray Charles, and has now become very well known on the jazz/cabaret circuit.

Emotional Glamour

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